Olive oil and extra virgin olive oil are both made from olives, but with different extraction methods. Overall, people may consider extra virgin olive oil to be a healthier option.
Many types of oil are available on the market, including vegetable, canola, avocado, walnut, and coconut oil. It can be difficult to know which oil to choose.
This article takes a look at the differences between extra virgin olive oil and olive oil, including their tastes, health benefits, and cooking and smoke points.
The uses of different oils vary. Olive oil has a great flavor that makes it suitable for adding uncooked to salad or bread, and it is relatively heat-stable for cooking. However, there has been some controversy over whether olive oil is actually healthy, and there is no consensus about which type is best.
The main types of fat in olive oil, which mainly consists of oleic acid, are monosaturated fatty acids (MUFAs). The
In contrast, the AHA recommends
Replacing saturated and trans fats with MUFAs and polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs) may help lower a person’s risk of cardiovascular disease. This is because saturated and trans fats can raise low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in the bloodstream, while MUFAs and PUFAs can lower this type of cholesterol in the bloodstream.
Olive oil is one component of the Mediterranean diet, which may have
Most of the modifiers that go before olive oil, such as “virgin” or “extra virgin,” refer to the process that manufacturers use to produce the oil. Extra virgin olive oils have undergone the least processing.
When the manufacturer processes the oil, they clean it with chemicals and then heat it. These processes prolong the shelf life, which is great for the food industry, but they may strip away a lot of the oil’s flavor and some of its benefits.
Extra virgin olive oil is not heated, it is cold pressed. The manufacturing process results in a lower yield, making it more expensive to produce that refined olive oil.
According to
Many people find that extra virgin olive oil has a stronger taste and aroma than olive oils that have undergone more processing.
Therefore, people might want to use extra virgin olive oil as a dressing for salads or for dipping bread into, while refined olive oil may be more appropriate for cooking.
Fresh, unprocessed extra virgin olive oil should taste:
- a bit fruity
- a little bitter, similar to biting into an olive
- slightly peppery
If the oil tastes metallic, flavorless, or musty, this may be due to overprocessing, or the oil might have gone bad.
Many people opt for cold-pressed, unfiltered, or stone-pressed products when choosing which extra virgin olive oil to purchase. With these options, the oil has not undergone heating or filtering, which usually adds chemicals to the oil.
Pros and cons of extra virgin olive oil
People may prefer to use extra virgin olive oil in place of refined olive oil because:
- it has undergone less processing
- they find it to have a more pleasant taste
- it contains fewer chemicals
- it is higher in antioxidants, vitamins, and other natural ingredients
However, it can be more expensive than refined olive oil and may be less suitable for cooking at a high temperature.
Pure olive oil is a blend of extra virgin olive oil and processed oils. People can check the label to find out exactly what is in the oil before buying it. Some light virgin oils are a blend, too.
The term “light” refers to the flavor of the oil, rather than the calorie content. Light oils are often processed and refined, which strips down the color as well as the flavor.
Processing makes the oil last longer, and it also makes it possible to heat the oil to a higher temperature, which is good for cooking. However, it adds chemicals and takes out nutrients.
The best place to store olive oil is somewhere cool, dry, and dark. It is best to place it somewhere where it will not get radiant heat, either from appliances or the sun. Doing this will keep the oil fresh for longer.
When using oil for cooking, it is important to keep the heat level in mind. The smoke point is the temperature at which the oil begins to break down and release smoke into the air. In other words, it is when the oil starts to burn.
If oil starts to burn or catch fire, a person should throw it away and start again.
People typically suggest that refined olive oil is more suitable for cooking at high temperatures than extra virgin olive oil. This is because the free fatty acids in extra virgin olive oil may start to burn at lower temperatures. However, some research suggests that extra virgin olive oil may remain stable at high temperatures due to its polyphenol content.
The AHA suggests that the
- olive
- safflower
- sunflower
- soybean
- canola
- vegetable
- corn
- peanut
They recommend using these fats instead of solid fats, such as butter, shortening, or lard, and tropical oils, such as palm and coconut oil, as these types are high in saturated fat.
Extra virgin olive oil is the least processed form of olive oil. Due to this, it retains its natural antioxidants and vitamins, which are often lost during processing. This may make it a healthier choice than refined olive oil but also makes it a little more expensive.
In general, oils that contain MUFAs, which include olive oil, are a beneficial addition to the diet, especially when people use them to replace sources of saturated and trans fats.
However, people should eat these types of fats in moderation.
A person may want to consider speaking with a healthcare professional, such as a dietitian or nutritionist, for more advice about diet and nutrition.